8 replies to this topic

[fortysixandtwo]

Hello, found this Camponotus queen and 5 nanitics. Trying to get a species ID. Any wisdom or insight welcome. I apologize about the photos, the plastic lid on their colony makes it difficult to get a clear shot. Gonna try and get a better one in natural light tomorrow. 

 

I think I have it narrowed down to:

 

A ) Camponotus laevigatus 

B ) Camponotus quercicola
or
C ) *maybe* Camponotus modoc. 

 

Location of collection: Near Tahoe National Forest outside of Nevada City, Nevada County, California, USA.

Date of collection: 10-23-16.

Habitat of Collection: Mixed coniferous forest, Sierra Nevada mountains @ ~3,000 ft elevation. Under a rock. 

Length: Total ruler guesstimate: Queen ~ 15 mm (?)

Coloration: Appear to be all shiny black: head, thorax, abdomen, legs. 

Distinguishing Characteristics: Nothing notable. The queen appears to have a slight indentation on the left side of her abdomen. Not sure what happened there. 

​Distinguishing behavior: typical carpenter ant behavior. First year queen and 5 nanitics, no brood.

Nest description: Small cavity under a rock.

 

Like I said, hard to balance lighting and glare with this mini formicarium. I'll post the best ones I can get.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Worker

 

Edited by fortysixandtwo, October 26 2016 - 9:57 PM.

[Alabama Anter]

Yes we would need better lighting. I personally cannot see the red in the ants you were talking about

[XZero38]

Yes we would need better lighting. I personally cannot see the red in the ants you were talking about

There is no mention of the color red in the post at all

[Miles]

I actually think this may be the black variety of C. vicinus.

[T.C.]

I was gonna say that's Camponotous Pennsylvanicus, but no, I think Miles guess is probably correct!

[Alabama Anter]

Yes we would need better lighting. I personally cannot see the red in the ants you were talking about

There is no mention of the color red in the post at all

Lmfao sorry bout that

[Canadian anter]

I agree with Camponotus vicinus but CONGRATULATIONS ON IDING THE GENUS BY YOURSELF something many people still can't do

[dspdrew]

I think it's probably C. vicinus too. It's definitely not C. laevigatus. I don't think 3000 feet is high enough elevation for them, and most of all, I can tell by the queen's head. C. laevigatus queens have heads quite a bit wider than their thorax.

[fortysixandtwo]

I actually think this may be the black variety of C. vicinus.

 

 

I think it's probably C. vicinus too. It's definitely not C. laevigatus. I don't think 3000 feet is high enough elevation for them, and most of all, I can tell by the queen's head. C. laevigatus queens have heads quite a bit wider than their thorax.

 

Cool, thanks. I will still work on better pictures. I wasn't sure if there were all black C. vicious though I have seen the red and black ones here. 

 

I agree with Camponotus vicinus but CONGRATULATIONS ON IDING THE GENUS BY YOURSELF something many people still can't do

 

 

Haha thanks. I have a background in entomology so I can get most anything down to genus usually. Just always kinda struggled with ant species particularly without a microscope or ant species key. 

Edited by fortysixandtwo, October 27 2016 - 7:46 PM.